The prices of building materials are rising, there is no shortage of them

Prague - The prices of some building materials have increased by an average of five to ten percent since the beginning of the year. This concerns materials such as concrete, aggregates, tiles, or pavings. The main reason is the rise in energy costs. However, the situation is not the same as last year, when there was a shortage of certain building materials due to a construction boom. This is based on a survey conducted by ČTK among manufacturers of building materials and construction companies.
    "From April 1, for example, masonry materials will increase in price by approximately five percent," confirmed Jana Válová from the company Xella, which produces aerated concrete products under the Ytong brand. The company Kámen Zbraslav has also raised concrete prices by four to six percent, and the price of aggregates has risen by a maximum of three percent, informed the company's sales director Jiří Kohout. He stated that the increase is due to the rising prices of all input materials and energy.
    The price increase was also confirmed by the company Českomoravský cement. "However, this increase does not fully cover the ever-increasing input costs," stated the company's spokesperson Lukáš Volša. However, he refused to specify exactly how much prices had increased for the largest cement producer in the Czech Republic.
    "Since January, we have been observing a rise in the price of steel, especially concrete reinforcements," said Michal Kukla, representative of the production director of the construction company Syner, to ČTK. "We expect material prices to rise with the start of the main construction season, which is during April or May," he added.
    So far this year, construction companies do not have to deal with shortages of any construction materials, but the favorable situation may not last. "There is currently no critical shortage of any commodities. However, this may change during the two largest demand waves, which usually occur in spring and at the end of summer," stated the spokesperson of Skanska CS, Ondřej Šuch.
    Last year's construction season was marked by a shortage of certain building materials, such as bricks, insulation, and partially cement. In addition to the missing employees, builders identified this as the main brake on further growth in the sector.
    However, the rise in building material prices has not yet been reflected in construction output. According to the latest data from the Czech Statistical Office, construction production slowed its year-on-year growth to one percent in January. Compared to December, construction production was lower by 0.5 percent. Analysts and builders attribute the slowdown to the high comparative base from January 2006 and the postponement of significant state infrastructure projects to this year.